Small Cell Cancer

Small cell cancer is one of the scarier forms of lung cancer.  There isn’t any kind of lung cancer that isn’t scary, as they are all more often terminal than not, however small cell cancer tends to be the most aggressive.  Most people with small cell cancer will die in 2 to 4 months after being diagnosed. 

The reason for the short post-diagnosis lifespan is that by the time small cell cancer starts to show serious symptoms, it is often already spread around the body.  When the cancer has spread to areas all over the body, surgical removal is not really an option, as it can’t be expected to significantly increase life expectancy enough to justify the risks and adverse health effects. 

So it is for good reason that small cell cancer is feared.  However it isn’t always an immediate death sentence.  About 30 percent of the cases are caught before the cancer has spread out of the immediate chest area, and this is referred to as ‘limited stage’ small cell cancer.  People with limited stage small cell cancer can expect to live at least another year, possibly two or more.  Also, surgery may be an option for some people with limited stage cancer, improving their prognosis considerably. 

Small cell cancers are especially prone to cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy.  If it is found in the limited stage, small cell cancer can be held at bay for a long time using these therapies.  Unfortunately, the likelihood of remission and recovery is not very good with small cell cancer, even in the earlier stages.  Because of the overall low rate of recovery, newer and better small cell cancer treatments is a popular are of cancer research.  If you have been diagnosed with small cell cancer, you may be eligible to participate in some clinical trials for new treatments.

The best treatment for small cell cancer is of course prevention.  Fortunately, it is a very preventable disease, and has a low likelihood of occurring in non-smokers.  Smoking vastly increases your likelihood of developing small cell cancer, and most cases of small cell cancer are related to tobacco use.  Combined with the increased likelihood of other types of cancer, lung diseases, and heart disease, smoking is estimated to kill around 300,000 people in the United States each year.  Whether you have a history of cancer in your family or not, its always a good idea to quit smoking.